Matcha Cupcakes with Green Tea Cream Cheese Frosting
Get ready to delight friends and family with these visually stunning colored green matcha cupcakes topped off with an exquisite cream cheese frosting that tastes as good as it looks!
Matcha cupcakes with green tea cream cheese frosting offer a delightful twist on traditional cupcake flavors. These delectable treats combine the earthy and vibrant taste of matcha with the smooth and tangy notes of cream cheese, resulting in a perfectly balanced dessert. Whether you’re a matcha enthusiast or simply looking for a unique and flavorful cupcake experience, these goodies are sure to satisfy your cravings. Get ready to indulge in the harmonious combination of rich matcha flavor and creamy frosting!
“This post was on behalf of Enzo. All opinions are my own. I wasn’t compensated for review but I received a product for free.”
Matcha Cupcakes with Green Tea Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Texture: soft and creamy frosting.
Taste: slightly bitter and sweet matcha flavor.
Simplicity: easy to make, combine ingredients and bake!
Meal Type: dessert.
Ingredients Needed
- All-Purpose Flour – plain all purpose flour is needed for this recipe.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda – leavening agents.
- Matcha Green Tea Powder – for unique and slightly bitter matcha flavor, as well as for green cupcake color.
- Salt – table salt or sea salt.
- Eggs – at room temperature as binding ingredient.
- Sugar – white sugar or cane sugar can be used to sweeten cupcakes.
- Butter – unsalted butter at room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract – flavor enhancement.
- Greek Yogurt – to add to the batter and few tablespoons to the frosting.
- Cream Cheese – original or light or at room temperature.
- Powdered Sugar – to sweeten the frosting.
How to make Matcha Cupcakes
- (Printable recipe and instructions below). In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, Matcha Green Tea and pinch of salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat eggs with sugar for 3 minutes until creamy.
- Add the butter, vanilla extract and mix for 3 minutes. Add greek yogurt and blend well.
- In a low speed beat in the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fill each cupcake liner full with 3/4 batter.
- Bake for 15 – 17 minutes at 350 F.
- Cool off completely before frosting.
- With electric mixer beat the cream cheese with greek yogurt, Matcha Green Tea and powdered sugar until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Decorate cupcakes with frosting.
To make my cupcakes green I used Organic Matcha Green Tea Powder
Enzo Matcha Green Tea has many health benefits like boosting energy, improving focus and enhancing metabolism. It is high in fiber and it has more antioxidants than dark chocolate. High content of chlorophyll in organic matcha is great for skin. The taste is twice stronger than regular green tea.
The matcha cupcakes came out delicious. The creamy frosting was made with cream cheese, sugar and Enzo Matcha Green Tea
Matcha Green Cupcakes Tips
- When it comes to baking these cupcakes, it’s important to remember a few key tips to ensure that your treats turn out perfectly moist and delicious. One common mistake is over-beating the batter, which can result in dry cupcakes. Instead, aim to mix the ingredients until just combined, using a spatula instead of a mixer if desired. This gentle approach will help create a tender and fluffy texture.
- Another aspect to consider is the selection of ingredients. Using high-quality and fresh ingredients can make all the difference in the final outcome of your cupcakes. From the creamy butter to the flavorful vanilla extract, each component plays an important role in enhancing the overall taste. Be mindful of the expiration dates on your ingredients and opt for the best quality you can find.
- Pay attention to the baking time and temperature. Cupcakes can be quite sensitive to heat, so it’s crucial to follow the recipe instructions carefully. Over-baking can result in dry cupcakes, while under-baking may leave them raw in the center. Keep a close eye on your treats in the oven and use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, your cupcakes are ready to be removed from the oven.
- Frosting Cupcakes: you can use a piping bag or use an offset spatula or a butter knife to take a generous dollop of frosting. Place the frosting in the center of the cupcake. Gently spread the frosting outwards, using a circular motion to create a dome shape on top of the cupcake. You can also leave it flat if you prefer a smoother look.
- These cupcakes are also great for St.Patrick’s Day, Easter or any other time of the year.
Matcha Green Cupcakes FAQ’s
Matcha is a specific type of powdered green tea. It is made by grinding shade-grown tea leaves into a fine, vibrant green powder. Unlike traditional green tea, you consume the entire tea leaf when you drink matcha.
Cupcakes and muffins, while similar in appearance, but are not the same and have several key differences. They are made differently, they have different sugar content, cupcakes are frosted and muffins are not, both have different texture.
These particular cupcakes once frosted they should be kept in the refrigerator. They will be good for up to 4-5 days, keep in airtight closed container.
Other Recipes
- 3 Ingredient Green Tea Matcha Smoothie
- Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Strawberries and Cream Sugar Cookie Cups
- White Chocolate Cupcakes
- Baked Mini Matcha Cheesecake
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*After reading all the comments as of today October 23, 2017 I made a new batch of these matcha cupcakes and I improved the texture. They are more softer and not so dense. However, I didn’t add any extra sugar. It will be still 1/2 cup sugar, but if you prefer your cupcakes sweeter use 3/4 cup sugar. Also, add a little more matcha if you like stronger matcha flavor. I prefer my 1 Tbsp. matcha flavor.
Matcha Cupcakes with Green Tea Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp. Matcha Green Tea
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt
Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese 1 brick, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp. Matcha Green Tea
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Preheat oven to 350 F and prepare muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners
- In a large bowl combine all purpose-flour, Matcha Green Tea, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, 1 Tbsp. Matcha Green Tea, 1/8 tsp salt
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer beat granulated sugar with eggs for 3 minutes until creamy.1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 eggs
- Add unsalted butter, vanilla extract and mix for 3 minutes.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- Add greek yogurt and blend well.3/4 cup greek yogurt
- In a low speed beat in the dry ingredients until just combined. Don’t over-beat, otherwise cupcakes will be dry. You can also just use spatula instead of a mixer.
- Fill each cupcake liner full with 3/4 batter. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes or until the toothpick inserted will come out clean.
- Cool off completely before frosting.
Frosting
- With electric mixer beat the cream cheese with powdered sugar, greek yogurt, and Matcha Green Tea until the frosting is light and fluffy.8 oz. cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 Tbsp. Greek yogurt, 2 tsp. Matcha Green Tea
- Use piping bag to frost cupcakes. Fill the bag with the frosting. Start in the center and pipe in a spiral motion, moving outward to create a swirl or other design.
Equipment needed
Notes
- When it comes to baking these cupcakes, it’s important to remember a few key tips to ensure that your treats turn out perfectly moist and delicious. One common mistake is over-beating the batter, which can result in dry cupcakes. Instead, aim to mix the ingredients until just combined, using a spatula instead of a mixer if desired. This gentle approach will help create a tender and fluffy texture.
- Another aspect to consider is the selection of ingredients. Using high-quality and fresh ingredients can make all the difference in the final outcome of your cupcakes. From the creamy butter to the flavorful vanilla extract, each component plays an important role in enhancing the overall taste. Be mindful of the expiration dates on your ingredients and opt for the best quality you can find.
- Pay attention to the baking time and temperature. Cupcakes can be quite sensitive to heat, so it’s crucial to follow the recipe instructions carefully. Over-baking can result in dry cupcakes, while under-baking may leave them raw in the center. Keep a close eye on your treats in the oven and use a toothpick or cake tester to check for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached, your cupcakes are ready to be removed from the oven.
- Frosting Cupcakes: you can use a piping bag or use an offset spatula or a butter knife to take a generous dollop of frosting. Place the frosting in the center of the cupcake. Gently spread the frosting outwards, using a circular motion to create a dome shape on top of the cupcake. You can also leave it flat if you prefer a smoother look.
Nutrition
Update Notes: The post was originally published in December, 2015, On October, 2023 it was updated with tips.
These look great! Green is my favourite colour, so I definitely think they’re super pretty! I’ve never tried Matcha, but have heard so much about it, I really should give it a try!
I hope you’ll like matcha:) Thanks Annie!
Well that’s quite an easy way to get MATCHA in your diet! LOL!
I agree:) Thank you!
Matcha cupcakes-genius! This might be the excuse I needed to splurge on it 🙂
Thanks Caitlin!
What a great idea! I love matcha and I bet it is so delicious mixed with cream cheese! Will have to try this soon!
Thank you Joscelyn for visiting my blog:)
Ooh, boy do I know two people who would ADORE these cupcakes! I don’t like green tea, but my sister and husband LOVE it! Thanks for sharing! I’ll show this to them!
Thank you Jennifer!
These cupcakes are so fun and unique! I am so late to the matcha party, I really need to try it!
Thank you so much!
Ahhh! Those are so, so pretty! I love matcha, and it’s awesome that you made the frosting green tea-flavored as well! I wish I were this talented at cupcake-decorating! <3
I am still learning but thank you Farrah!
I love how you added Matcha green tea to these cupcakes! So unique! They are also so pretty! 🙂
Thank you Vicky!
Christmas is the PERFECT time to experiment with matcha and green tea in baking–it makes everything look so festive.
I agree! Thank you so much for your visit!
Gorgeous! I’ve been meaning to try matcha and I just never get around to it! My New Year’s Resolution, I think! 🙂
You’ll like it Jenn. Thank you for your visit!
I live on Matcha – drink it everyday and I love baking with it! These cupcakes look delightful and very festive!
Thanks Jacquee!
I love matcha, and these cupcakes are super pretty! What a fun treat to serve near or for Christmas! Love it!
Thanks Patricia!
Perfectly Christmas-y and so pretty & delicious, I’m sure. Love!
Thank you!
I love matcha tea! It’s one of those special ingredients that can elevate most anything. These cupcakes are beautiful. I’ll have to try this for St. Patty’s day! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Shawn!
Mmmm I love matcha!
Thanks Matthew!
Such a great idea to use Matcha Powder to make the frosting green Ilona! They look amazing and DEFINITELY like christmas trees! I love Matcha anything – have to give that frosting a go!
Thank you Dini!
These cupcakes look SO good!
Thank you Jillian!
I love matcha but don’t seem to get round to drinking it all too often. I much prefer recipes like these! You’re right the cakes do look like little trees! I’m sure they could be adapted for easter too. Perhaps iced to look like a field of flowers? Great post!
Yes, they are definitely perfect for Easter. Thanks Emma!
What beautiful looking cupcakes! I love how bright they are!
Thank you Dannii!
I’ve never tried Matcha Tea, what does it taste like?
It tastes like green tea.
I love the decorating job you did on this! That is something I’m practicing but it doesn’t come to me. And the green color would make these the perfect spring cupcake I think. 🙂
Yes, they are perfect for Spring! Thank you Annemarie!
Is the greek yogurt a substitute for something? Can I leave it out? Have not found a greek yogurt that I am fond of that’s why.
I wouldn’t leave out greek yogurt but You can substitute for sour cream.
I just made these this evening following your direction. They are so very dense. Was there to be a liquid of some sort? They went into the cupcake liners like play dough
I added only greek yogurt. Yes the batter was dense, but the cupcakes taste good after baking.
Let me start by saying that both my husband and I like green tea….but, we did not care for the cupcakes they were far too heavy and dense, the matcha powder flavor did not come thru and the color of the cupcake was a very unattractive color. We also thought that for a cupcake they were not sweet enough, the whole thing seemed more like a muffin. I always follow the exact recipe the first time, I would like to make matcha cupcakes again but I will do a different recipe for the cupcake portion. On the bright side we thought the frosting was great and had the matcha flavor that I was expecting, although the color was weird again. I found the frosting had a good consistency for decorating.
Thank you for taking the time to post a comment on my site. Yes, I agree these cupcakes are more on the dense side. But the frosting combines very well with them. Also, most of my desserts are made with less sugar. They are sweet but not to much sweet. This is the way I make all desserts. Sweet enough but not over sweeten. I will try to make a new version of moist matcha cupcakes with more green color. Thank you!
I agree with the comments above. The dough was a bit heavy, making it feel like a muffin with frosting. I appreciate the fact that the recipe was very simple and easy to make, so maybe a good starting point to develop / adjust it. Do you think that using cupcake flour might make the cupcakes more fluffy and airy rather than feeling more like a matcha bread? I also like the fact that you keep the dessert semi-sweet unlike the usually over-sweetened American desserts. But, if sticking with this recipe, maybe a bit more sugar would help remind that it’s a cupcake since the consistency reminds one more of a bread. As for the frosting, it was delicious! I added twice the amount of matcha called for to enhance the fragrance and matcha flavor which turned out well for me. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your comment and trying out my recipe. I carefully followed your suggestions and I improved my recipe. I made some corrections into the the batter to make it more softer and not dense. The new cupcakes turned out soft.
The frosting for this cupcake is super delicious. I made one batch following the instructions and I made one creaming the sugar and butter first, then adding eggs. The latter worked better. I’m just wondering, why do you cream sugar with eggs first?
The sweetness of the cupcake is great with the frosting. I don’t like things too sweet.
I am happy that you liked frosting. It is really good. It is good that you creamed butter and sugar, it is ok both ways. I do this too when I am making my baked goods.
Ilona, this looks really good! I think I need to make these for myself and the kids. Love this idea!
I hope you’ll love it Alyssa!